WEEI/Boston Adjusts On-Air Line-Up

• Audacy Sports-Talk WEEI/Boston announced a series of on-air updates — Christian Fauria will move from afternoons to middays alongside Andy Gresh, weekdays from 10am-2pm ET. Current midday co-host Rich Keefe will transition to nights and also serve as pre-game host for Red Sox broadcasts. All moves are effective Jan. 3.

Lou Merloni is stepping down as afternoon host and joining WEEI’s flagship coverage of the Boston Red Sox, calling at least 60 regular season and 10 spring training games in the broadcast booth, and joining WEEI’s offseason talk-show programming. Merloni, a 10-year MLB veteran who spent six years with the Red Sox, will serve as WEEI’s Red Sox insider and make regular appearances on the station programming as team news breaks.

“These changes will further strengthen the news, information and entertainment that Boston sports fans count on every day,” said Mike Thomas, SVP/Market Manager, Audacy Boston. “Lou grew up here, played for the Sox and has been our ‘baseball guy’ for more than a dozen years. His move to the booth will make our gameday coverage even better for Red Sox fans across New England.”

It was concurrently announced that Joe Castiglione, who has been a part of WEEI’s Red Sox broadcast team since 1983, will call 81 games in 2023. “After 40 years and over 6,000 game broadcasts, my wife of 51 years, Jan, and I think that this is the right time to step back and work a reduced schedule of games while we are both in good health,” said Castiglione. “This will give us the opportunity to spend more time with our children and six grandchildren as well. I’d thank both Mike Thomas and Red Sox President Sam Kennedy for being amenable, and thanks to my agent, Steve Freyer, for working out the details.” Pictured, (l-r): Fauria, Keefe & Merloni